Center Stage
by Beulahwigatherson
Summary: Annabeth is a dancer in the American Ballet Academy, Percy is the principle in the American Ballet Company. They meet- fluff ensues.
1. You Better Dance

**Uncle Rick owns Percy Jackson, I own this plotline.**

**_This is a 5 part drabble that was posted on Tumblr... so far only 4 parts have been written. Each chapter has a song- except for one I think. _**

**_Timber- Kesha/Pitbull_**

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Dance, for Annabeth, was always something that helped her remain in control. Ballet and pointe allowed her mind to focus, instead of running rapid like it always did. Her ADHD always made her jittery, her mind always changing pace every few minutes. When she started ballet lessons her condition got better and she was able to excel in school as well as dance.

Now that she was a professional ballerina, in the American Ballet Company- no less- she felt like she was going to suffocate if she didn't get away for just one day.

That was how she ended up at some dance studio in Brooklyn.

Piper, her best friend and fellow ballerina, dragged her here claiming that she had exactly what Annabeth needed. Piper had shoved a pair of slip on jazz shoes into her hand and pulled her from the apartment with a huge grin on her face.

When they approached the dance studio Annabeth stopped completely because taking lessons from another dance instructor and studio was very much against the rules. But Piper had brushed off her hesitation with, "How do you think I don't go insane?"

Piper had signed them in and pulled Annabeth into the class she always attended but not before she said, "Keep the whole ABC thing under wraps."

Annabeth nodded and clutched her bag tighter to her chest as Piper walked into a large studio with wooden floors and mirrored walls. A large chorus of, "Piper!" was heard before Annabeth had her friend snatched away because she was being hoisted up by some blonde dude.

She watched as Piper wrapped her legs around this guy's waist and greeted him with a kiss on the lips before hopping down and ushering her over.

"Annabeth!" Piper said, loudly- attracting attention to her.

She walked forward slowly, careful not to make eye contact with anyone- for some reason this place scared the mess out of her.

Maybe it was unpredictability of it all.

Hip hop? Jazz? Tap? It was all so, different for Annabeth. Ballet was precise and controlled with specific movements.

"Annabeth, this is Jason." Piper said standing by his side.

Annabeth understood immediately, "This is who you've been sneaking around with?"

Piper nodded and smiled as Jason held out his hand, "It's so nice to meet you, Annabeth… Piper's told me a lot about you."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow, "A lot?"

Piper rolled her eyes, "He knows we're in ABC."

Annabeth nodded, "Oh, okay… I would say the same thing about you but unfortunately she hasn't told me much about you… I just know she's been sneaking out late at night and I have to cover for her."

Jason laughed as Piper said, "The less you know- the better."

Annabeth barked out a laugh, "That doesn't make me worry about you any less."

Jason smiled, "Don't worry… she doesn't get into too much trouble."

Annabeth nodded as someone called the class to order, "Alright, guys! Spread out! It's time to warm up!"

Piper pried the bag out of Annabeth's hand and threw it to the side of the room as everyone in the room spread out across the floor. Piper lead her to the back corner and they sat down in a split. The warm up lasted five minutes and she felt considerably looser by the end of it. Annabeth was slowly warming up to the idea of taking this dance class.

Reyna, the dance instructor, got up from the floor and walked over to her iPod and switched songs, "Partner up! We're going across the floor- Leo! Come help me show these losers how it's done."

Annabeth watched as everyone grabbed partners- she stood in the corner watching all of it with wide eyes. Reyna was about to show them the across the floor routine when someone walked in late.

"Sorry! I'm late!"

Reyna rolled her eyes, "You're always late, Jackson! Partner up, we just started."

Annabeth stifled her gasp because this was Percy Jackson.

The lead in the spring production that the American Ballet Company always put on.

He was someone Annabeth had admired and watched from afar since she'd started ABC. She glanced at Piper who just had a smirk on her face.

Percy looked around and spotted Annabeth in the corner- his smile widened, almost like he recognized her. But that couldn't have been possible because she was just in the dance line. She filled in for people and danced in the background.

"Do you have a partner?" He asked when he reached her.

Annabeth shook her head as Reyna clapped and yelled, "5, 6, 7, 8!"

Percy turned around to watch Reyna then. Annabeth watched in wide eyed wonder as Reyna and her partner Leo danced in a way that had always intimidated Annabeth. She could never figure out the mechanics of a hip hop dance. It was too modern- too contemporary for her.

It didn't have controlled movements, it was wild- untamed.

Annabeth watched as Leo and Reyna danced around one another, their hips, arms and legs moving in sync with the other.

"Okay! Jason, Piper- you're up!" Reyna yelled over the music as she stepped back. Piper and Jason lined up at one end of the dance floor as Reyna started counting, "5, 6- 5, 6, 7, 8."

Annabeth watched her best friend in wonder- she honestly had no idea Piper could dance like that. Her partner Jason keeping up in perfect time with her.

She glanced over at Percy, he was bopping his head to the beat of the fast paced song, he smiled down at her.

Her heart stuttered in her chest as she continued watching all the couples line up and go across the floor. Before she could blink again it was her turn, she clammed up a bit with nervousness.

"It's okay." Percy whispered in her ear as he lined up behind her.

She closed her eyes, barely hearing Reyna count and then her feet were moving of their own accord. Her body going along with Percy's in a way she didn't realize it could. Halfway through the routine she felt her face break out into a wide smile and her body loosen up completely.

Piper had been right, this was exactly what she needed.

"Better?" Percy asked as they jogged off the floor to make way for the next set of couples.

Annabeth laughed breathlessly, "Yeah."

Percy nodded, "Good… I say everyone in ABC needs to do this every once in awhile."

Annabeth looked at him with wide eyes as he laughed, "You didn't think I knew who you were?"

She nodded as he shook his head, "I noticed you the first day… actually I don't think anyone else has ever come close enough to beating my record, or Calypso's for that matter, of fouettes they can do in a minute."

Annabeth laughed, "Sorry?"

Percy smiled down at her, "That's not something to be sorry for… Someone needs to knock Calypso off her high horse every once in a while."

She just smiled up at him, unable to form a coherent response to that compliment.

The rest of the class passed by like that- filled with small talk.

Compliments laced into conversation as they danced.

By the end of class Annabeth felt better than she had in a while. She didn't even realize how uptight being in ABC had made her. Piper jogged over to her at the end of class with Jason on her heels.

"We're going to the little diner down the block, you coming?" She asked Annabeth.

Annabeth raised an eyebrow, "I'm not going to be a third wheel?"

Piper shook her head and smiled, "Percy's coming."

Annabeth smiled stupidly for a moment, "Yeah… yeah.. okay, I'll come." Piper laughed as she walked away to collect her belongings.

As they were walking out of the studio Reyna called, "Great class today, guys… see you next week?"

Annabeth smiled and joined in the chorus of, "Yes."

Because as much as this was against the rules, Percy had been right. Everyone at ABC definitely needed to do this, needed to get away from the uptight pretentious dance instructors. Annabeth thought _this_ was the reason Percy was so good.

Piper smiled at her as they walked out of the dance studio and into the street, "Have fun?"

Annabeth nodded and smiled as she glanced over at Percy, who was talking to Jason, "Yeah, you were right… it was just what I needed."

Piper laughed as she skipped forward to walk beside Jason, "I'm always right!" Annabeth shook her head and laughed, her best friend may not always be right but in this instance she most definitely was.

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**Until next time :)**


	2. Just Friends

**Uncle Rick owns Percy Jackson, I own this plotline.**

**Part 1 got a lot of feedback, which is awesome! This drabble is over a year old I wrote it last Decemeber between You Found Me and Falling for the Devil. I only posted it to Tumblr, though. **

**FALLING FOR THE DEVIL: I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GOING TO REPOST IT (BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO MAKE ALL MY STORIES RATED T)... BUT THE EPILOGUE IS UP ON .COM. YOU MIGHT HAVE TO SCROLL A BIT TO FIND IT BUT IT'S THERE. **

**_Enjoy the second part :)_**

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Percy settled in beside her on the walk to the diner, asking her questions about her life and how she liked being in ABC. Aside from the occasional suffocating feeling she loved being in the American Ballet Company.

"I'm living my dream." She muttered to him as they reached the diner.

Percy laughed, "I'm pretty sure all of us there are."

Annabeth smiled up at him, "You, more so than anyone else."

He smiled widely at her and nodded, "That's very true."

"How long have you been dancing outside of ABC?" She asked as they found a table and sat down, Piper and Jason in their own little world.

"I've been dancing there since I was little… It was where I started… and I never had the heart to leave once I was accepted by American Ballet Company… so I kept coming… it helps me stay upbeat and loose."

Annabeth smiled up at him, "I think… I'm going to come back… it was fun… I've been doing ballet and pointe all my life and I've never really ventured outside of that."

Percy smirked, "Well, it's about time you learn something else then."

Annabeth laughed and had honestly forgotten Piper and Jason were still there when Piper spoke up, "Hell yes, it is… I've been trying to get her to come to class with me for ages… if it hadn't of been for her semi panic attack in class today she wouldn't have came at all."

Percy and Annabeth turned to the couple sitting in front of them, "Panic attack?" Percy asked.

Piper nodded as Annabeth pursed her lips, "Yeah, princess over here had a small meltdown because she rolled her ankle doing a pirouette… after getting it looked at they determined she would be fine but Mr. D still kept her out of class for the week just in case."

Percy looked at Annabeth, "And you still came to another dance class on bad ankle?"

Annabeth glared at Piper, "My ankle is fine."

Piper shrugged, "I know it is… that's why I suggested you come with me today… you needed to get away anyways… being constantly surrounded my ABC assholes will ruin your already charming personality."

Annabeth would have shot her friend the bird had the waitress showed up right then and took their orders for food and drinks.

Percy looked over at Annabeth after the waitress left, "I think your personality is perfectly fine."

Annabeth smiled smugly at Piper, "Percy likes my personality."

Piper cracked a wide smile, "He just wants to get in your pants."

"Hey! I resent that!" Percy half shouted at Piper making her laugh. Annabeth laughed then as well, a loud laugh that should have embarrassed her had it not felt so good. She hadn't laughed like that in ages it felt like.

Percy smiled at her, "I like your laugh too."

Piper shot her a smile, "Definitely trying to get into your pants."

After dinner everyone said their goodbyes with Piper going with Jason after a promise to be in by curfew tonight. But Jason only clamped his hand over her mouth and said, "She'll be in class tomorrow morning."

Percy had laughed and shouted, "Have a good time you two!" as they walked away.

When they were approaching the subway that would take them out of Brooklyn and back into the confines of ABC Annabeth turned to Percy.

"How do you do it?" She asked him.

Percy raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "You're lucky I know what your talking about because that could have gotten awkward pretty quickly."

Annabeth punched in the arm as he shook his head, "I don't know… I guess I don't think too much about it… I know that if I didn't take some time away from ABC I would go insane… and besides I like all kinds of dance… not just ballet… I don't like being limited to one type of dance… it's too boring."

Annabeth studied him for a moment, "You seem like the type of guy who doesn't like being confined to much of anything."

Percy shot her a look, "You're half right."

Annabeth shoved her hands into her pockets, "Only half? I think I'm a pretty good judge of character."

"I do have a contract with the American Ballet you know… a contract is very confined."

Annabeth laughed, "I guess so." They continued walking in silence until they were sitting safely in a subway car heading back over the river into the city.

"You should get to know me." Percy muttered, breaking the silence.

Annabeth scrunched her eyebrows together, "Get to know you? Like friends?"

Percy nodded slightly, "I wasn't exactly hoping for friends but I can definitely do friends."

Annabeth laughed, "Neither of us have time for anything other than friends."

"True." Percy said shrugging, "But ABC doesn't have to take over our lives."

Annabeth considered this for a moment, "Yeah... but you perform four sometimes five out of the seven nights a week…. how is ABC not taking over our lives?"

Percy leaned closer to her, "We could do it… make being friends work for us… you seem like you need a few more."

Annabeth scowled at him, "Just for that I'm not going to be your friend."

Percy laughed and whined in a childlike voice, "Please, Annabeth… please be my friend."

Annabeth looked over at him and noticed, not for the first time today, how different he actually was. She had expected this serious dancer, who slept and breathed ballet. But he was outgoing and funny, witty as hell and not only good at ballet but good at all types of dance.

"You're nothing like I thought you would be." Annabeth stated.

He smiled, genuinely at her, "What'd you expect? A dick who thought he was better than everyone else because he got the lead in Swan Lake?" Annabeth shrugged because that was exactly who she expecting him to be.

Percy shook his head, "I try to stray away from stereotypes."

Annabeth nodded, "Good… no one likes an asshole."

Percy laughed as their subway came to a stop, "I think we're going to be great friends, Annabeth."

Annabeth sat up and prepared to exit the train, "Great friends." She muttered quietly to herself.

Why did _friends,_ all of the sudden, not seem like enough for her.

She smiled and turned to face him just before the subway doors opened, "Yeah, I think so too."

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**How'd you like it?**

_**Until next time- WElaine21**_


	3. Author Note- Read it, don't skip

Hey Guys!

I've had lots of people ask me if I'm going to add all of my stories back. I don't know- at this point probably not. If you're desperate to read some of my stuff go to thestoriesoftheseven . tumblr . com - this is a group page I am apart of that has some drabbles I have written and it has the FULL LENGTH Falling for the Devil Master Post. So, if you missed the epilogue or just want to reread this story go the that page. You will have to scroll a bit but it's there.

Life is busy and I have NO idea when I'm going to update again.

Just be patient.

Thanks.


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